My Pink Cherry Blossom
by Darkangel15x
Summary: After several years of being a hopeless Sasuke fan girl, Sakura decides she's had enough. She moves on and breaks all ties with him. However, what happens when Sasuke realizes that without her by his side, life is just not worth the living? Mainly SasSaku
1. The Bleak Morning

>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

Hey guys! Was the title catchy? If it was, then please, Read and Review! This is my first attempt at a Naruto fanfic and I could really use some encouragement… A simple note from you would mean the world to me. Please don't hesitate to tell me what's on your mind. Yes, I welcome even negative comments, but if you are going to do so, please tell me where I went wrong. There's always room for improvement, I always say. So, on with the fic. Enjoy! )

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**Chapter One: The Bleak Morning**

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It was the beginning of another gloomy day in the village of Konoha. Dense black clouds loomed ominously above the horizon, accompanied by the violent howling of the west wind. A pretty young girl with pink hair was walking through the lonely streets of the town. Everybody chose to stay home today, because of the big storm that was on its way.

The girl's name was Sakura. She looked up at the sky. A heavy downpour could come at any moment and leave her soaking wet, but she didn't care. This morning's bleak weather matched her mood perfectly. She walked on, passing the ramen shop, where a familiar blonde-haired boy was having a hearty breakfast. He emerged later on, satisfied from ten bowls of his favorite dish. He was smiling happily, and gently patting his slightly swollen tummy. His name, of course, was Naruto. However, Sakura saw none of this, blind to all but her own thoughts.

Naruto saw his teammate from afar, and cheerfully called out, "O-HAA-YO! Sakura-chan!"

Unfortunately, the girl was too lost in a world of her own to pay attention to anything. She snapped back to reality after hearing Naruto call out her name once more.

He caught up to her and asked, "Sakura-chan, what's the matter? Why the cold shoulder?"

"Oh, it's you, Naruto..." she replied. "Gomenasai, I didn't notice you there."

"Are you all right, Sakura?" he asked, concerned about his friend. "Is something wrong?"

Sakura looked sideways at the boy walking next to her, seeing miso stains stuck near his mouth. She looked back down. "No, it's nothing, really..."

Naruto didn't need to ask. He already knew the moment he saw the helpless look on Sakura's face. It was as if the world had turned its back on her. He knew that whatever it was, it was something that only a certain raven-haired boy could cause.

"Its Sasuke again, isn't it?" he asked.

The skies grew darker by the minute, illuminated only by fierce streaks of lightning. Deafening thunderclaps followed, and heaven opened its floodgates, drenching the waiting earth below.

The rain flattened Naruto's normally spiky hairdo, while it soaked through Sakura's red linen dress, slightly revealing the delicate outline of her curvaceous body. Naruto caught himself stealing glances at her, unable to keep his eyes from doing so.

_Wow... Sakura-chan sure has a nice figure_, he said to himself, blushing slightly. But he soon shrugged the thought out of his head. _Darn, that perverted hermit must be getting to me_...

The pair walked on in silence under the rain's steady downpour. Naruto thought about his two teammates, and how the love of his life had been mindlessly chasing the arrogant Uchiha for years.

_Why can't Sakura-chan see that Sasuke is just not the one for her?_ His mind was screaming this thought in his head. He wanted Sakura to realize the futility of falling for Sasuke. Not that he thought he was the better man or anything, but Sasuke was just too caught up in his ambitions to care about anything. Naruto's voice broke the monotonous patter of the rain on the pavement.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" He began. "To love someone with all your heart and for him or her to not even care about you at all?"

Sakura was surprised by this sudden remark.

"Not only that," He continued, "But when that someone constantly avoids you, coldly pushing away every single effort of yours to show that you care, this is when it hurts the most."

Sakura was stunned. For once, she agreed with Naruto.

"Believe me," he added, "I know how that feels like."

The girl paused for a while, her thoughts of Sasuke diverted for a moment. She looked at the boy beside her, recalling how he had liked her ever since their Academy days. But she had coldly rejected him, even mocking him straight on. She simply didn't care if she had hurt his feelings. A feeling of guilt came over her upon remembering this, recalling how cruel she had been to her friend in the past. But somehow, Naruto never seemed to lose hope in spite of this. She remembered how he had willingly risked his own life just to save hers, like in the Shukaku incident where Gaara almost crushed her to death. As time passed by, Naruto was able to prove himself to be a true friend and a reliable ally. Sakura even grew to look up to him, because just watching him fight makes her want to strive harder as well. She looked at Naruto and smiled, grateful for having a friend like him.

Drops formed puddles, and puddles formed pools as the rain continued falling. Sakura noticed the slight blush on Naruto's face. He looked like he wanted to say something, so she waited patiently for him to speak. Unknown to her, Naruto was panicking. He figured that now would be the right time to tell Sakura how he felt about her. He wanted her to know that as a friend, he was concerned about how she was feeling, but he just couldn't put his thoughts into the right words. The unbearably awkward silence was killing him. He didn't want to look foolish in front of her, but he decided that it was now or never.

"Ne, S-Sakura-chan," He stammered. The pink-haired kunoichi looked at him. She was curious to find out what was on his mind.

"What is it?" She asked, smiling.

This only made Naruto more nervous. The words clung to the sides of his throat like viscous syrup. He felt uncomfortable and really hated it, recalling how easily he could speak (or scream) his mind in the face of overwhelming enemies. Words would leave his mouth as soon as they entered his head. But why was he having such a hard time talking to a friend he has known for years? Sakura noticed his unease and gently placed her arm around his shoulders. This made the boy turn bright red.

"Come on, spit it out!" She said in a comical manner, "Don't worry, I won't bite."

The pair arrived at a scenic hilltop overlooking Konoha. They sat down by the grass and enjoyed the cool morning breeze that was blowing. Naruto sighed, pulled his thoughts together and spoke.

"Sakura," He began, "I really don't know how to say this. I feel awkward and silly, but I just want to say that I... I..." He paused for a while. "I care for you and I can't stand seeing you like this. I know that Sasuke is everything that you dream of having, but I think you know that he won't change himself for you."

Sakura sighed and the smile on her face slowly faded. The painful truth that she had tried so hard to change struck her once more. Yes, she knew it would be hard. Getting Sasuke to change his humorless demeanor would be like getting Tsunade to stop gambling or getting Jiraiya to stop peeping at the hot springs' female patrons. In other words, it was next to impossible. But she tried anyway. She tried showering him with kindness, she tried impressing him, she even risked her life protecting him. But she soon realized that her efforts were all in vain. Sasuke would always be the self-absorbed snob that he is, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

Naruto was right. But she couldn't let him know that. No, not in this lifetime. Instead, she replied softly,

"No, you're wrong. Sasuke-kun has a good heart. He wasn't always like this. Its just that he needs some friends who can help him change..."

Her voice trailed off. She didn't even believe what she was saying. Naruto turned away, disappointment clearly marking his face.

"Oh," he said. "Well, I'd better go now. See you later, Sakura-chan."

The boy stood up and turned to leave, hair and clothes dripping wet.

"Bye..." Sakura called out softly.

He raised his right arm to wave and turned his face sideways, forcing a smile on his lips. She watched him walk away until he was completely out of sight. Even though he tried hard to hide it, Sakura could not help but notice the aura of depression that had suddenly surrounded her friend.

The world grew as dark as the night sky, and brilliant flashes of lightning flickered dangerously. The weak sobs of a young lady were heard somewhere, forever lost to the perpetual resonance of the crashing rain.

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>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

Okay. That's it for Chapter1. Thanks for reading! So how'd you like it? Please review! )


	2. The Sleepover

>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

Hello again! Before I start the second chapter of my work, I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful people who took some time to write reviews for my first chapter. You guys are the ones who keep this fanfic going. (Pennames will be posted after) Please keep reading and I will try my very best to update this as soon as possible. I won't let you guys down. So, sit back and enjoy:)

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**Chapter Two: The Sleepover**

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It had already been a few hours since the sun had set, and evening descended on the hidden village of the Leaf. The strong downpour that ravaged the town was nothing more than a slight drizzle now.

Beneath the faint light of the crescent moon, Sakura slowly made her way back to the village. She passed through one of the narrow streets leading to her house, where a number of dimly lit taverns could be seen. The muffled roaring and jeering of drunken men resounded from within. She checked her timepiece. It was about a quarter past nine, usually the time when old men came out to play. She was passing a nearby restaurant when the perverted toad hermit suddenly stumbled out, startling her. He was laughing boisterously, with a drunken blush on his face. In his right hand was a large bottle of sake, and in the other was an attractive young woman.

Jiraiya looked intently at the pink-haired kunoichi, pointed his face at her and muttered,

"Hey, I know you..."

He paused for a while, trying to recall something.

"Ah! You're Naruto's girl, right?" He asked, winking at her.

The girl blushed bright red and shook her head violently. The legendary sannin just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, that's what Naruto tells me!"

Sakura watched as the pair walked away. Strangely, being called "Naruto's girl" didn't sound so repulsive to her anymore.

She arrived at her house a while later.

"Okasan, I'm home." She called out.

Her mother was doing some chores in the kitchen.

"Sakura, one of your friends dropped by earlier looking for you. She's in the living room waiting."

"Okay, I'll be right there." She answered.

Sure enough, she found her best friend / worst enemy, Yamanaka Ino, sitting patiently on the couch.

"Sakura! You've been gone for the whole day. Where were you?" She asked.

"Oh, just somewhere... I've been thinking... Y'know, sorting things out..." She murmured. "Anyway, what brings you here, Ino?"

"Well, Sakura, I came to ask you something." Her blonde friend replied. "You see, my parents left for the weekend and I was just wondering if you'd like to come spend the night at my place."

"Gee, it sounds like fun, Ino, but why on such short notice?"

"I just thought we had a lot of catching up to do. Besides, it's been ages since we last did this. Don't worry, your mom said it would be okay." She said, grinning. "So, how 'bout it?"

Sakura took a moment to think. The very thing that she needed the most right now was a friend who could talk to her and listen to her problems.

"Sure, that sounds great, Ino." She replied, smiling back at her friend. "Give me a minute to pack my stuff then we can go."

Ino accompanied Sakura to her room while waiting for her to get ready. The pink-haired girl stripped herself of her soaked red outer garment and began to search her closet for a new one. Ino sat down comfortably on her bed and watched as her friend dressed up.

"Wow, Sakura, you've really matured." She said, remarking on her friend's figure.

"Thanks, Ino," She said, a smile lighting up her face. "So have you."

The blonde kunoichi looked around the room. In one corner, she saw the group picture of Team Seven and the first thing that caught her eye was the young frowning Sasuke. She laughed, thinking of a funny moment from their childhood.

"Ne, Sakura, do you remember the time when we used to bathe together?"

Sakura looked up from a big pile of clothes and giggled.

"Sure I do! How could I forget? You would always show off your body to me and brag that someday you would definitely get Sasuke-kun to fall in love with you because he liked girls with perfect figures."

"You had a major crush on him too right? Its too bad neither of us got to him in the end."

"Yeah..." Sakura sighed. "You can say that again."

The two girls arrived at the Yamanaka residence after a short walk. It was already about ten o'clock. Most people would be in bed right now and the inns and taverns were preparing to close. Ino showed Sakura into her room and helped her unpack.

"So, is there any particular boy whom you have your eyes on right now?" Sakura asked teasingly.

Ino blushed and looked shyly at her feet. She was speechless for some time, not knowing what to say. This gesture of hers answered Sakura's question.

"Ha, I knew it! Who? Come on, Ino… You can tell me!"

"Well, there is this one guy…" She muttered. She leaned over to her friend and whispered something in her ear.

"Whoa! No way! Are you serious?" Sakura asked excitedly.

The blonde kunoichi nodded her head bashfully.

"But why? What attracted you to him all of a sudden? I really never saw this coming, you know…"

"Me neither. I never expected that we'd become more than just friends. He is really a great guy. I wonder why it took me such a long time to notice him." She mused. "Yeah, he can be lazy at times, but he more than makes up for that with his brilliance. He was the first one from among us to become chuunin, after all."

"But, Ino…" She said, "You two have totally different personalities… I think you already know this by now. How are you two going to work things out?"

"It was hard, but I think we were finally getting along. He turned out to be a really sweet guy after all. Eventually, we tried dating and started seeing each other everyday. One beautiful starry evening, he told me that he really loved me and we swore never to leave each other under the moon and heavens. It was a magic moment, something every girl would dream of, but…"

"But what?"

"We got into a fight…"

"What? Why?"

"It was my fault… Because of his success in recent missions, he was personally handpicked by Hokage-sama to become an ANBU strategist and leader. Naturally, that kind of position comes with heavy responsibility. He was accountable to anything that happens to his subordinates, and in order to be efficient, he needed proper training. Before taking on the job, he asked my opinion on it. He explained that he might not have as much time to spend with me anymore. I didn't mind and told him to go for it."

"Wow… you must have been really proud of him, huh?"

"I sure was. I felt very happy for him. I tried not to be lonely even though I missed him so much. I still felt glad because of the fact that we could still see each other a few times every week. But you know what, Sakura?"

"What? What happened?"

"I couldn't take it anymore. The loneliness was gnawing at me from the inside. Pretty soon, as his training intensified, his schedule only allowed him to spend time with me once a week. I looked forward to the time when we would see each other again, but he even had to cancel that date every now and then. I was extremely hurt and disappointed whenever that happened."

Tears were starting to well up in Ino's eyes. Sakura felt sorry for her friend and tried to comfort her.

"I broke up with him last Sunday, Sakura…" She said tearfully. "I let him know that our relationship was going nowhere, and I told him to come back when he has time for me, but…"

Ino paused, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"…The truth is, I want him back, Sakura. Its been driving me crazy these last few days. He's all I ever think about. Every waking moment I wonder how he's doing and I want to know what he's going through. I miss him so much and I can't stand the thought of losing him to another girl…"

That was it. She couldn't hold back anymore and buried her face in Sakura's chest, letting her tears flow. Sakura gave her friend a reassuring hug and patted her gently, trying her best to calm her. Ino was going through the same exact thing that she was feeling, except Ino knew what it was like to be loved by her special someone. The pink-haired girl let out a deep sigh.

Nara Shikamaru had officially stolen Ino's heart.

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>>>---THIS JUST IN!---> 

This is it for the second chapter. Thanks for reading! So what do you think? Please review and a new chapter will be up next week:-)

Once again, a warm "Thank You" to the following people for making this chapter possible. Your words have done wonders for me. Take care!

AngeloflLight

Kage Kodomo45

Niebezpiczny Ksiezyc

xelagirl2

flowerangel050

susakuru


	3. The Rice Cakes

>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

Hey, guys! Sorry for the extremely long time it took me to update this… Just had a severe case of writer's block somewhere in this chapter. Anyway, to make up for it, this one is twice as long as the first two. So there. Enjoy, and please, please, PLEASE don't forget to sign a review on your way out. Thanks:-)

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Naruto… but I sure wish I did. Sighs

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**Chapter 3: The Rice Cakes**

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The pale crescent moon hovered silently among the clouds, shedding faint, ghastly rays upon the sleeping village of Konoha. Over by the south woods, the creatures of the night made all kinds of peculiar sounds. Owls sat hooting atop lofty branches and frogs lazily croaked in their murky homes by the marsh. A long, mournful wolf howl echoed in the distance while the crickets chirped their never-ending medley of songs.

Back in town, a girl lay in bed quietly listening to these sounds. She got up, ran her fingers through her disheveled hair and looked at the small clock on the table. 3:37 a.m. A short sigh escaped from her lips. She hasn't been able to enjoy a wink of sleep since the onset of the night. Sakura looked enviously at her blonde friend who was sleeping soundly beside her.

_At least **you** were able to get some shuteye, _she thought.

Sakura observed Ino's face. She seemed to be happy now, her rosy lips curved into a small smile. She was so different just a while ago when she was hysterically crying over her lost love. Sakura now understood why Ino invited her to spend the night at her place. The pain from her heartbreak had built up inside her for over a week and she needed someone that she could confide in. Ino knew that keeping it in wouldn't be good for anybody.

Sakura knew this as well, which is why she was planning to tell someone about her problem. Someone who cares and is sensitive to the feelings of others. Someone who was Uchiha Sasuke's exact opposite.

Someone like… Naruto.

She quietly stepped out on the balcony, basking herself in moonlight. She thought about the events that took place just yesterday, for they could already have changed her life forever.

( Note: This is a flashback that will benarrated from Sakura's POV )

It all started three days ago. I could sense that something was terribly wrong with the village, but I didn't know what. The town fortifications were once again being strengthened, and more and more shinobi were being recruited and trained. Rumors have it that another cold war loomed above the horizon.

Then it happened. Sasuke-kun was chosen by Tsunade-sama, along with Neji and Kakashi-sensei to go on a mission to the Mist Country. It was a special A-rank mission and there was a big possibility that none of them would come back alive. Details were disclosed only to the ranking officials of the Leaf, so all we citizens could do was pray that no harm would befall them.

It was about four in the afternoon when the team assembled at the town park, awaiting Tsunade-sama's orders. I was holding a small basket of rice cakes in my hand as I walked past the park's vine-strewn gates. I was planning to give some to Kakashi-sensei and Neji, but most were for Sasuke-kun. After all, they could travel for days on end without food so I figured a little nourishment before they left would be helpful.

Further on, I met a group of jounin who were on their way back to the village. Gai's extremely loud voice was booming in the distance, ranting about how he'd definitely be chosen to lead an A-rank mission someday instead of his number one rival Kakashi.

I waved at the group to catch their attention.

"Excuse me, do any of you know where Kakashi-sensei is?"

Gai was the first one to speak.

"Yeah, he's over by the lakeshore. We've just been there ourselves. Have you come to say goodbye too?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, I've prepared rice cakes for them."

"How thoughtful! Kakashi-san is lucky to have a student like you…" He said, eyes glued to the basket, "Say, uh, do you mind if I…"

"Not at all," I replied, offering him the rice cakes. "Please help yourself."

Gai picked one up and popped it in his mouth. He thanked me with his 'nice guy pose' and his ever-famous Gai-smile that twinkled with a distinctive 'twang' sound at the end.

I smiled back as I watched them walk away. I found it quite strange that Asuma didn't show up. He was the only jounin who didn't come to greet sensei.

I walked on and saw the shimmering blue lake in the distance. Two people were sitting together. The one with the tall bushy hairdo was undoubtedly Kakashi-sensei. The other was a woman. I soon recognized Kurenai, a female jounin. Crouching under a leafy shrub that was in the way, I discovered that they were holding each other's hands. But that's not all. I saw Kurenai leaning in to give him a kiss – or at least that's what she would have done – if it weren't for that annoying piece of black fabric that he constantly wore to conceal the mysterious appearance of his face.

Whoa. No wonder Asuma wasn't around today.

I emerged out of my hiding place and stifled a laugh when I saw Sensei drop Kurenai's hand faster than a hot potato. I startled him, that's for sure.

"Yo, Sakura…" he called out, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

I was a bit reluctant to approach for I had clearly disturbed their moment. I learned from experience that creases on Sensei's mask meant that he was frowning, and we were usually in trouble whenever that happened. He started to grow impatient.

"Well, what is it? You know it's not nice to bother adults, especially when they're discussing something important."

"Uh, Kakashi-sensei, I heard you were going on an important mission and I thought you might like some rice cakes." I said, holding the basket out to him. I also offered Kurenai some, who took a piece and thanked me kindly for it.

My gray-haired sensei dipped his hand into the container and pulled it out with a couple of rice cakes between his fingers. He raised it to his mouth, but stopped half way, suddenly realizing that he wouldn't be able to eat it without taking his mask off in front of us. Kurenai noticed this too, and she couldn't help but laugh at Kakashi's little dilemma. Some men really acted strangely around women. I guess he was one of them.

Sensei sheepishly placed the two cakes into the right breast pocket of his green jounin vest.

"Maybe I'll save this for later…" He thought out loud.

Seeing my work here was done, I wished him good luck on the mission and waved goodbye to the couple.

"Oh, Sakura, one last thing…" he called out.

I turned around, smiling. "Hm? What is it?"

"Do me a favor. Don't tell anyone what you've seen here today. Got it?"

I stifled another laugh. "Sure, sensei. My lips are sealed."

"Good girl," he said, his visible eye showing how relieved he was.

Over by a large grove of cherry blossom trees, I caught sight of another sweet couple lying idly on the grass. As I came closer, I saw that they were kissing. I'm not talking bout some normal kiss though.

I'm talking bout one hell of a serious lip lock.

Guess what, they turned out to be no other than Neji and Tenten.

The moment she saw me, Konoha's weapons mistress immediately pulled away from the tight embrace. Embarrassed, she straightened her wrinkled clothes and tried to remove all traces of the deep blush that appeared on her face.

Neji, who wasn't aware of my presence yet, looked like he wanted more of Tenten's lips. He tried to pull her back down but she shrugged him off and informed him that I was here.

I think they could've gone on for hours if it wasn't for me. Go get a room, I'd say.

"Hi, guys!" I greeted cheerfully. Tenten chirped a bright hello while Neji grunted and smiled.

We sat down on a soft spot of grass and I offered the couple some of my special rice cakes. Tenten took a piece and bit daintily on it.

"Wow, Sakura, did you make these? They're great!"

"My mom and I made them together. We decided on giving it as a good luck present to the team."

She turned to her lover. "Neji-kun, please try this."

"Well, maybe just one…" He selected a big piece and chewed it thoroughly, appraising the flavor inside his mouth. A welcome sound was heard.

'Mmmm…'

Tenten giggled. "Sounds like he liked it."

I pulled Tenten to one side while Neji sampled more of my rice cakes.

"So, how was it?" I asked, winking at her.

"How was what?"

"You know… _it_." I started making kissing gestures.

"Oh, that…" Tenten muttered, blushing deeply. "Guess you caught us red-handed, huh…"

"Was it your first time?"

She avoided my probing eyes and looked bashfully at her feet.

"Aww, come on, you can tell me." I urged.

Tenten took a deep breath and shook her head. "Its not my first time to be kissed, but this has got to be the longest one."

"Ooohh, really? Bet it must've been fun." I teased, elbowing her.

She paused for a while and smiled, probably reminiscing how dreamy that moment was.

"Well, it was okay… so-so, I guess…"

"Ha! So-so?" I scoffed. "What do you mean? You were having the time of your life!"

Tenten glanced at Neji to make sure he wasn't eavesdropping and leaned in to whisper something.

"If you ask me, his nose was too big… It kept getting in the way…" She smirked mischievously. "But at least he was kind enough to eat a breath mint!"

We both laughed heartily at this comment of hers. Our mirth apparently caught Neji's attention, who turned around and approached us.

"Hey, what's so funny?" He asked, beads of rice stuck near his mouth.

"Oh, nothing." Tenten replied. "I was just telling Sakura how big an appetite you can have."

I peered into the basket. To my utmost surprise, it was already more than half empty. Neji had unconsciously wolfed down ten of my rice cakes!

As I headed towards my last destination, I decided to do a little arithmetic on the contents of my now light basket. I made twenty cakes. Kakashi-sensei took two. Gai, Kurenai and Tenten each had one. Neji ate ten. That leaves… hmm, let's see… five more for Sasuke-kun.

I checked my timepiece. It was now past five o'clock, and the brilliant orange sun was beginning its descent to the west. My thoughts drifted to Neji and Tenten, who were tickling each other silly when I left. They really looked so cute together.

Deep down, I envied Tenten so much. Not because I had a thing for Neji, but because she was happy. She was in the arms of the man that she truly loved. I wanted to feel that happiness too, and I realized only one person could give me that.

Sasuke-kun...

I let out a deep sigh. _Get real_, I told myself. _That would never happen_.

I was pulled back to the sad reality upon hearing several excited female voices in the distance. I peeredto see what was going on, curious to find out what the commotion was all about.

Then I saw him. He was lying on the grass, his back against the roots of an enormous tree, with both hands cupped behind his head to serve as a cushion. He wore his usual outfit. Black shorts and a black shirt that bore the Uchiha clan's fan-like crest. His cold, onyx eyes glared fiercely at the myriad of crazed girls that surrounded him, worshipping him like some sort of god. This gesture only meant one thing: Fuck off, or die. The fan girls never seemed to get the message though. They appeared to be enchanted too much by his gorgeous physique to pay any attention to his vicious eyes.

Actually, I couldn't help but feel sorry for these poor creatures. If any of them knew Sasuke-kun like I did, they wouldn't bother trying. One of the things he hated most about his life was his annoying fan club, who trailed him unceasingly, screaming earsplitting "We love you, Sasuke-kun!" wherever he went.

I couldn't blame them, though. Uchiha Sasuke's looks were worth dying for. I'd gladly get down on my knees and worship him too, if only I could get him to go out with me.

I looked around. Almost all of them had brought presents for Sasuke-kun. Gifts ranging from sumptuous delicacies to expensive new clothing were there. I glanced back at my handsome teammate. It looked like he had no intention of accepting these gifts. I suddenly felt ashamed of my humble offering to him. It was like feeding a king some leftovers. Five rice cakes plus a little something in my pocket.

Although intimidated by the extravagant presents that the other girls had brought along, I was determined to give it to him no matter what.

Having made up my mind, I briskly strode forward, and tried to squeeze through the massive crowd of girls that blocked my way. All of them shot nasty glares at me, but I pretended not to notice. They reluctantly gave way as I politely said "Excuse me" to everyone I bumped into. Halfway through, though, a massive girl who crowned herself president of the Uchiha Sasuke fan club stopped me from going any further.

"Who the hell are you and where do you think you're going?" She demanded. "We have been ordered by the Master to set parameters. No one is allowed to come within ten meters of Sasuke-sama."

_**Sasuke-sama!** They **are** treating him like a god!_

"Excuse me, my name is Haruno Sakura and I've come to give him a present." I said courteously, showed her the basket in my hand.

Without warning, the bulky girl snatched the container from me and peered inside. I didn't even have time to object.

"Ha, you call this a present?" She scoffed. "Back of the line, just like everyone else! Anyone who wants to see Sasuke-sama must wait their turn!"

I scowled and opened my mouth to object as I reached for my basket. The large girl, however, refused to hand it over. She flashed a toothy grin, as if to irritate me.

"And next time," She mocked, "Try bringing something better than this _shit _you call food!"

To my utter horror, the big bitch threw my basket into the air. I watched helplessly as it tumbled in mid-air, spilling all of its contents. It landed with a loud thud several feet away. I pushed towards the end of the crowd, hearing muffled laughter from behind. I examined the basket. One side of the handle broke off due to the force of the crash.

I groaned. This was what mother used to carry vegetables from the marketplace. She would kill me if she found out what happened to it.

By now, I had caught the attention of the whole group. They were all laughing, making fun of my predicament. I was made to look like a fool in front of two dozen people and I almost cried from embarrassment.

But that wasn't all. The fan club president thought of something else. She picked up an object that lay near her feet.

"Hey, Haruno, you forgot something!"

She tilted back and swung her arm forward. The whole crowd suddenly fell silent, waiting eagerly to see if the thing would hit home.

Before I knew what was happening, something collided with my forehead. It exploded into a million pieces, the particles raining down on my hair and face. I wiped some of it off and recognized what they were. Rice beads. That thing was my rice cake.

"Bullseye."

The crowd roared with maniacal laughter. The bitch's friends were even patting her back and commending her for her astounding marksmanship. Talk about adding insult to injury.

That was the last straw. Something within me snapped. All of a sudden, a torrent of rage flooded by entire being. I felt the inner me screaming murderous intent at her. I tried to control it but I just couldn't, and I didn't want to. The bitch had crossed the line. It was a good thing I didn't have a kunai at that time or she would have been dead by now, her fat throat slit wide open.

All of them were still laughing. I clenched my fists and stood up. Eyes locked on her, I surged forward and covered the distance between us in no more than a couple of seconds. The next moment, I was right in front of the target. Focusing all energy into my right arm, I threw my chakra-packed fist forward. She never saw it coming. The punch connected and I buried my entire fist into her face. She flew several meters back, knocking down girls behind her like an oversized bowling ball. She landed on her fat ass, nose bleeding from the impact.

Now I was surprised. If a punch like that could destroy solid rock, imagine what it could do to human bones! Tsunade-sama taught me that herself. She called it her "insane strength."

But by the looks of it, this girl wasn't unconscious, even if she took a direct head shot. Hell, she was even starting to stand up! Looks like she has enough blubber on her face to prevent an attack like that from doing too much damage.

She stood up, cursing under her breath.

"Get her! Get that little bitch and beat the shit out of her!" She ordered her minions.

Almost instantly, the crowd turned into an angry mob. They charged against me as one girl. I assumed a defensive stance and braced myself for the coming onslaught. I took down one, two, three, four, five, all the way up to ten, but there were just too many of them. Even though I was more experienced in combat, I was heavily outnumbered 24 to 1.

I had to run. There was no other option. I started forming hand seals and soon, three of my replications emerged. We took off in different directions in order to confuse them, but the precipice I was stepping on broke off. I fell and they had me cornered. There was no way out this time.

_This is it_, I thought. They rushed towards me. I slowly closed my eyes.

A voice echoed in the dark. "_Katon_, Blazing fireball no jutsu!"

The next thing I knew, a wall of fire was scorching before me. I inched away and squinted at the figures on the other side of the flaming barrier. A boy was there. He was facing them with arms outstretched, blocking the way of the crazed girls who were after me. Stunned, I realized that he was trying to protect me. I heard another voice, which I recognized to be that of the fan club president, except that she sounded soft and apologetic now.

"I-I'm very sorry, Sasuke-sama… I didn't know that she—"

"Silence!No one touches her from now on, understand?" He growled, the whites of his eyes flashing dangerously. "Now, get out of my sight."

The stout girl nodded, and like an obedient dog, obeyed her Master and was gone like a shadow.

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>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

Okay, that's it for Chapter 3. Please let me know what you think. Just click on the "GO" button at the bottom of the screen and type away! Thanks again:-)


	4. The Locket

>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

Hello! Once again, my sincerest apologies for the extremely late update. We just had our exams a week ago and boy, were they tough. Last week was really hectic, but now we get a whole week off from school! Yeah! So I got to finish the rest of this fic in one night.

This chappie might have a different twist from the previous one. Please tell me what you think at the end of the chapter, okay? Thanks, and happy reading!

**DISCLAIMER:** Unfortuantely, I am not the luckiest guy in the world who owns Naruto. That guy is Masashi Kishimoto.

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**Chapter 4: The Locket**

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Cock-a-doodle-doo! _

The crow of a rooster echoed across the empty streets of Konoha, marking the coming of the first hues of dawn. The rest of the world was still dark though, and the gloomy pavement stretched out like a winding serpent, illuminated only by a few rickety lampposts.

Sakura stood there, gazing at the horizon, atop the balcony of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. She was wearing nothing but a thin, waste-high chemise and her underwear, which was what she usually wore during nighttime. The early morning mist that engulfed the town was quite frosty, prompting her to wrap a woolen blanket around her delicate body to keep herself warm.

She sighed, reminiscing how wonderful that moment was. Uchiha Sasuke standing before her, blocking the way of her attackers. He appeared like a proud lion fiercely guarding his territory. She remembered gazing up at him from behind the blazing wall of fire. He looked so dreamy back then, the dancing flames making him look even more striking. Sakura closed her eyes, picturing that scene in her mind. She just wanted that moment to last forever.

It would have been perfect - if it had stopped there.

( Flashback continued: )

I couldn't take my eyes off him. I was stunned, suddenly speechless because of his unexpected show of concern. He watched as the rest of his fan club disappeared, just like he had ordered them to. Then he turned around slowly. With a sweep of his foot, he killed the flames that parted the path between him and me.

I opened my mouth to say a word of thanks, but stopped abruptly when I saw the look in his obsidian eyes. It didn't contain the slightest trace of concern for my well-being. If anything at all, it was anger, and lots of it.

I didn't understand. What was he looking at me like that for? A pang of fear came over me and I instinctively inched away from him. There was a long hard silence. It was especially awkward for me because he was looking straight into my eyes. I felt the blood rush to my ears and cheeks. Almost instantly I turned bright red. I looked down at my feet, not knowing what to else to say or do.

I know he warned me time and time again to think twice before doing anything. Yeah, I guess picking a fight with Sasuke's whole fan club was pretty dumb, but honestly, can you blame me?

If some crazy rival of yours ruins your present, calls it 'unworthy' and throws it in your face, wouldn't _you _have the urge to punch her in the nose? I mean, if _that_ doesn't give me enough reason to beat her up, then I don't know what does.

Even with my head bent down, I could still feel the intensity of his glare. I felt like an anxious child who had done something wrong and was about to be punished by a parent. He trusted me for my sound judgment on certain situations, but the way I acted a while ago seemed anything but proper. It was something Naruto would do. I recognized the glare he gave me to be the same one he used on Naruto when he had done something stupid.

The rule taught to us during our Academy days bounced back and forth inside my head, taunting me over and over. _A ninja does not show emotion in any situation…_ I had clearly broken it. Furthermore, I allowed my emotions to take hold of my mind, letting passion drive my body. Most people don't notice, but emotions are a dangerous thing. Once you allow them to take over, they knock you out of your right mind and jam the gears of logical thinking.

I began pondering on the right words to say. Something that wouldn't make me sound foolish. I would tell him that I was sorry, and that I already realized my mistake. I would assure him that it would never happen again.

But instead, he sighed, turned his back on me and slowly walked away. He didn't even wait for my apology. I was stunned for a moment, but decided that I had to say what I had to say. I caught up to him and tried to get his attention. He kept his pace and his cold eyes remained motionless, his stare fixed at the distance.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, gomenasai…" I began. I waited to see if he would say something... He didn't.

"Those rice cakes I made were for you, but your fan club president ruined it. I made them because I thought you might be hungry. Both Neji and Tenten said they were great… Its too bad you never got to try some, so…"

I purposely trailed off to see if he would at least grunt in response. I was desperately trying to start a conversation here.

Again, nothing. Man, was this guy conceited, or what?.

Seeing that this was going nowhere, I cut to the chase. "Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry for acting rashly a while ago. I know you find it stupid, and I don't know what could have happened if you weren't there. Thanks for saving-…"

"Forget it. It doesn't matter." His sharp words cut me off like a jagged kunai.

I was happy that I at least got a few words out of him, but that seemed hardly enough. He looked as if like he couldn't care less. My hands slipped unconsciously into my dress pocket, where I caught hold of something that I had forgotten was there. It was my other gift to Sasuke. I pulled it out and hid it behind my back. Seeing that he wouldn't stop walking, I stepped in front of him.

The look in his eyes clearly showed that he was startled by this act of mine, but his piercing glare returned almost instantly. He ignored me and tried to slip past me a few times but I wouldn't let him.

Annoyance creeping onto his face, he blurted out, "What the hell is the matter with you!"

I smiled uneasily and held out my hand to him. "I have something to give you."

I opened my fingers and in the center of my palm was a little silver locket. It was in the shape of a heart, and engraved on it were the words 'I love you'. It was also adorned with delicate patterns on all sides. The trinket was attached to a long chain with tiny links so it could serve as a necklace. I bought it earlier today from the metal works in town. It did cost me a bundle, but I decided that was a small price to pay if it was for Sasuke-kun.

He glanced at it from the corner of his eye. Then, as swiftly as it came, his attention transferred elsewhere.

Knowing my teammate, I had expected this kind of reaction. I wasn't going to give up that easily, though.

"Here, Sasuke-kun." I said, moving closer to him. "This is for you."

I flicked the little heart and it opened into two. "If you open it up you can put a couple of small photos inside. A lot of girls are happy to get gifts like these-…"

He didn't seem to hear what I just said and cut me off abruptly. "Get out of the way." He growled impatiently.

…Ouch.

Those few words pierced me like an arrow through the heart. Still, I was determined to give it to him no matter what.

"Sasuke-kun, please accept my gift. I know it's not much, but it's my way of showing my concern for you…"

His emotionless expression did not change. "Move." He commanded, a tone of finality in his voice.

"Sasuke-kun, please…" I was practically begging now. "Please listen to what I have to say. I have been your friend and teammate for several years now and I'm worried about you. I understand that you won't be having a medic nin along on your mission, so..."

I paused and looked at the locket on my palm, unsure of what to say next.

A deep, harsh voice was heard.

"Baka."

Surprised, I looked at him.

He shook his head and sighed. "Baka. That thing is useless."

I was extremely hurt upon hearing those words, fighting back the tears that were pushing from behind my eyes. Imagine being repaid for your thoughtfulness with that! I opened my mouth to reason but he cut me off again.

"What's the point in bringing that worthless piece of trash? Will it stop a hail of kunai from ripping me apart? Will it deflect enemy chakra and save me from certain death?" He sounded gruff and irritated. "If it doesn't, then it's not worth keeping."

I looked at my feet, ashamed. I knew he was right. My present couldn't do any of those. It was only worth sentimental value – something that Uchiha Sasuke would never accept.

He was asking me for a reason on _why_ he should accept my gift. Tough question, if you ask me. Does anyone need a reason to accept a gift? People give presents to one another to show each other that they care. No words said; just the relationship that exists between them is enough. He had been my teammate ever since we graduated from the Academy, and still he treats me like a complete stranger. How can you deal with a person like that?

Even so, I tried to think of a beneficial use for that locket. The first thing that came to my mind was a good luck charm. It was true, wasn't it? People wore all kinds of amulets to serve as sources of inspiration and encouragement. Why should my present be any different?

"Well, it could give you good luck…" I muttered.

The moment he heard my reply, he scoffed. Bad answer, I know. Luck was one thing Sasuke did not believe in. He was convinced that only his effort could get him places. He was the master of his own fate. Everything that happened to him was because of his own doing.

He shook his head slightly, smirking.

"That is why you remain weak, Sakura. You rely too much on insignificant things like this, instead of focusing on the things that really matter. People who believe in luck are fools. When good things happen, they give credit where it is undue and blame their misfortunes on bad luck, instead of learning from their mistakes and improving themselves."

He brushed a few locks of raven hair from his face and paused to take a breath. It had been a while since he said so many words at one time. He then glanced at his timepiece and turned his back on me.

"I cannot waste any more time here with you. Sakura, I do not want your present. Stop bothering me and go back home. If you cannot find any use for that locket then I suggest you get your money back."

That was the last straw. I felt like an intangible kunai had just ripped my heart out. Can you imagine how bad that hurt? Tears started streaming down my face. At that moment, all traces of love and admiration that I once had for Sasuke turned into hate and resentment. Why did he have to be such a jerk!

He started walking away slowly, indifferently. But he stopped in his tracks when he heard my voice.

"Sasuke-kun... I was willing to go through everything for you. I loved you with a love that none of your fan girls could offer. I loved you for who you were, not how you looked... and this is what I get in return!" I said in between sobs. "I honestly believed that you could change. I dreamed that someday I would be able to melt that ice cube in your chest that you call a heart... but I was a fool. You will never change, Uchiha. You are nothing to me now. Just die, for all I care!"

I let go and cried hysterically, letting my tears flow. I ran as quickly as I could from that place, never looking back.

Then silence.

Somewhere, a certain raven-haired boy picked up something that lay near his feet. He glared at the object, dropped it into his side pocket and sighed.

"Baka."

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>>>---THIS JUST IN!---> 

So what do you guys think? Please tell me if you like where this is going. Sorry to SasuSaku fans if Sasuke had to be a harsh there… the problem has to start somewhere, right? Of course, rest assured that there will always be a happy ending for everyone in my fic. Thanks for reading, and please review!


	5. The Vanquished

>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

Hi guys! My apologies for the extremely late update!... ughh... its taking me longer and longer to write new chappies these days. School's been hectic lately, but thankfully, the Christmas break is just around the corner. Yay! Finally, a chance to kick back and relax after a hard year of schoolwork!... haha:-D

A heartfelt "Thank You" to all the people who have taken time to write reviews for my previous chapter. You guys are the best! Thanks for staying with my fic. I didn't expect to get this much! Really! I hope this new chapter earns as much reviews from you guys... )

So, on with the fic... Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, I am not the luckiest guy in the world who owns Naruto. That guy is Masashi Kishimoto.**

_... Dedicated to Michelle ... (who's probably smiling right now, reading this... :D)  
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Chapter 5: The Vanquished

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_It had been two weeks since Kakashi's team had left the hidden village of the Leaf…_

**Village gates; 2 : 09 am. **

It all happened three days ago. In the dead of the night, two ninjas came to the village gates. Upon sensing an unidentified presence at such an ungodly hour, the guards on duty armed themselves and approached the pair cautiously.

"Who goes there…" One of the guards called out.

A grunt and a loud thud were heard in reply.

Another guard shone a light at the source of the strange sounds and gasped in horror. There, on the ground before them, lay a couple of bloodied ninjas. Their clothes were shredded, stained with soil and dry blood. The faces and arms showed severe cuts and gashes, reflecting the physical torment that they had gone through. Their legs were riddled black and blue with lumps and bruises from days of traveling on foot. Dark red blood gushed out from an open wound, slowly tainting the green grass that spread underneath them.

Now, this scene was gruesome enough, but it was not what surprised the guards. Believe me, they have had more than their fair share when it comes to this sort of thing. What startled them the most were the rectangular pieces of metal that they saw on each of the shinobis' heads – forehead protectors that bore the symbol of Konoha.

Those fallen ninjas were their allies.

One of the guards immediately sped back to town to get help while the others moved to assist their injured comrades. As they came closer, labored breathing was heard. This was good. It meant that both of them were still alive, but it was becoming increasingly evident that they wouldn't last long if something wasn't done soon.

The medic nins arrived in a flash. Expertly, they began treating the wounds of the injured Leaf shinobi. Their eyes widened as they recognized the identities of these two, unable to believe that they had been wounded so badly. Eerie light emanated in the darkness as hands flared with green healing chakra.

One ninja was apparently unconscious so they had wasted no time in rushing him to the hospital. The other, however, flinched when the medics touched his fractured leg and let out a sharp cry of pain, his handsome face contorting in agony. He was still screaming as they carried him away, gritting his teeth and tugging at his raven hair to somehow distract himself from the pain in his limbs.

The guards stepped back, giving the medic nins room to move about. They buzzed in confusion, greatly distressed over what happened. How could it have happened to them? _Them_, who were among Konoha's best? Tomorrow the whole village would know about it. About how two- no, _three_ of Konoha's most brilliant minds had fallen.

**Tsunade's house; 2 : 16 am. **

The Godaime Hokage was awakened by the sound of knuckles rapping loudly on the door of her house. She groaned and cursed, apparently waking up from a drunken spell.

"Tsunade-sama, please wake up! We have urgent news!" The guard cried, a mixture of fear and confusion in his voice. He shouted repeatedly until someone from the inside answered his call, sliding the door open.

It was Shizune. She fixed a fierce glare at him, irritated at having been roused at such an early hour.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She asked, yawning. "Hokage-sama is not pleased."

The hazy form of Tsunade appeared behind Shizune. A white robe was wrapped around her, loosely tied at the waist. The neckline of her garment drooped lower than usual, revealing more of the long cleavage that divided her chest.

"This had better be damn good." She muttered.

"Tsunade-sama! Two of our ninjas have just arrived outside the gates. They are both in critical condition, and appear to be members of the special reconnaissance team you sent out two weeks ago. The third member is missing, and-"

"What? Out of the way!"

The guard had no time to finish what he was saying. Nor did he have to. Upon hearing the shocking news, Tsunade took off along with her aide, Shizune, in the direction of the village hospital.

**Hospital; 2 : 37 am.**

A myriad of doctors and nurses were swarming over the two wounded chuunin, determining the gravity of the damage and deciding on what to do. Every step in this stage was crucial to the survival of both, for they were almost out of breath. Mounted on stretchers, the pair was rushed into a vacant operating room while the army of physicians followed suit.

Uchiha Sasuke tried to open his eyes, but was instantly blinded by the strong lights above him. Wincing, he sealed them shut. Above him, he heard a sea of voices murmuring words that he could hardly make out. They sounded as if being spoken through fabric.

… _His chakra is almost entirely depleted…_

… _Careful, some parts of his skin are badly burned…_

… _He suffered a leg fracture here… _

As he lay listening to these sounds, an excruciating pain seared through his body. He cried out in pain and struggled, but found that he was strapped to the surface he was lying on. He felt several hands holding him steady.

… _He's going wild! Quick, administer the anesthesia… _

Shortly after, he felt a slight prick on his arm. That was nothing, however, compared to the pain that his leg was causing him. Thankfully, the hell that he was going through didn't last long as he quickly drifted away into the comfort of blissful sleep.

As soon as she arrived, Tsunade burst into the operating room. All heads turned in the direction of the doorway, and upon seeing her, a myriad of nurses began blocking the way, well aware of the Godaime Hokage's violent tendencies. She paid no heed to the medics who were pleading with her to let the patients recover before bringing them in for questioning, and brushed them aside impatiently.

She spotted the cluster of doctors on one of the operating tables, and immediately moved through them. One of the male nurses tried to restrain her, but only received a huge lump on his face for his effort.

She grabbed the unconscious Sasuke and shook him vigorously, trying to wake him from the effects of the drug.

"Sasuke, wake up! What happened?" She demanded. "Where's Kakashi?"

It was no use. The boy's head swung limply from side as she shook him, oblivious to everything happening around him.

After locating the Hyuuga prodigy and getting the same results, Tsunade stormed out of the hospital, walking hastily through the chilly morning mist. She would do the next logical thing, and that was to assemble an emergency meeting among the ranking officials of the Leaf.

**Briefing room; 3 : 08 am.**

Thirty minutes later, the briefing room was alive with the confused buzzes of its inhabitants. The jounins were first to arrive, having leapt out of their beds upon hearing the news. Then came the venerable members of the Council. Gai and Kurenai were talking, a troubled expression etched on each of their faces.

As the Godaime Hokage entered, the room fell into a hushed silence. Dressed more appropriately now, she took a seat and faced the waiting throng of people. She paused for a second, mentally scrolling through the list of things she would need to tell them. She cleared her throat to catch everyone's attention, although doing this was obviously unnecessary.

"My friends," She began, "As you all know, the Mist is rapidly becoming a potential menace to Konoha with each passing day. Our peaceful relationship with that hidden village hangs on a thread, and war could break out at any moment. Both parties are already preparing for the eventuality of it."

The people in the room held their breaths and shifted uneasily in their seats. Tsunade sighed and looked away, breaking free from the probing eyes of her audience.

"But after an unfortunate turn of events," She said, lowering her voice, "I am now certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that war will indeed break out."

A collective gasp was heard from the listeners as they exchanged anxious looks with each other. The room started buzzing again, this time louder. The Hokage turned and whispered something to Shizune, who nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

She sighed, looking out the window at the starlit sky. Part of the lower horizon was hued a different shade of blue, and she knew that daybreak wouldn't come for a few more hours. The villagers were still asleep, unaware of the impending danger that loomed above their heads. Soon, it would be time to tell them, but not now. She suddenly felt wholly responsible for putting the lives of these people in dire jeopardy. Uncertainty followed as the gravity of the situation settled in. She closed her eyes and clutched the jewel that hung around her neck, silently praying to her grandfather, the first Hokage, for guidance. She needed him now more than ever.

**Hospital room; 4 : 01 am. **

The rhythmic beep of a machine echoed inside a dark hospital room. The sound was short, standard, and occurred at a regular interval. It seemed to be coming from an electronic device with an LCD display, which showed the movements of a thin red line. The line moved horizontally, jerking upward abruptly every time the beep resounded. It formed an odd angle, and then cascaded back onto its original horizontal path.

Somewhere inside this same room, a young girl was vigilantly watching, her eyes already puffy from crying. On any other evening she would have dozed off, but tonight, she did not dare sleep a wink. Her greatest fear would be to see the thin red line flattening out forever, the sound turning into a perpetual beep. She gazed at the unconscious boy on the bed, observing the rise and fall of his chest. A steady heartbeat. This was good. For every short beep she was thankful, for each one of these brought her lover closer to seeing the sunrise once more.

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>>>---THIS JUST IN!--->

So how'd you like it? Please let me know! I hope it was worthy of a review from you guys! Just click on the little purple button below that says 'GO' and type away! Thanks!


	6. The Trap

>>>--THIS JUST IN!-->

Sorry for theextremely late update! Man, life's been really busy for me lately… We're gonna be migrating to Canada in about a month and there's a lot of work to be done… Uhm, my apologies to those who got a bit confused in the last chapter. Here's a short summary to help explain things.

Chapter 5 summary - Sasuke and Neji come back to Konoha in critical condition. Sasuke appears to have suffered a fractured leg, while Neji is unconscious and is immediately admitted into the hospital. Tsunade, upon learning of what happened, calls an emergency meeting of the Leaf's ranking officials and jounin. In the latter part of the story, Tenten (sorry, I didn't make it clear that it was her) cries for Neji as she watches him sleep.

Anyway, here's the follow-up to the last chappie. Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER: **If I could choose to be any guy in the world, I'd choose to be Masashi Kishimoto… Know why? 'Cuz he owns Naruto, and I don't. So there.

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**Chapter 6: The Trap**

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Another new day had begun without the brilliant rays of the sun. Dark, massive clouds covered the horizon, illuminated only by passing streaks of lightning. A steady shower of rain fell unceasingly to earth, for almost three days now. The monotonous patter of rain on rooftops filled the whole of Konoha. Those who were adept at recognizing omens knew that this couldn't be anything good. It seemed that the gods developed a habit of using the weather to warn living mortals of impending danger. Although in this case, you needn't watch the skies in order to tell that something was definitely wrong. 

Word was out. War could break out at any minute, and everybody was preparing for the eventuality of it. Status was heightened to red alert, and teams of twenty-four hour sentries were posted at each of the four walls of Konoha. Chuunins and Jounins resumed rigorous training, while classes for Genins and Academy students were suspended. Shops and stalls were closed down, the merchants choosing to leave while they still had the chance. Nobody wanted to be caught in the crossfire.

However, one place in Konoha did not seem to be affected by the chaos and confusion of the town. The area was quite secluded, and was located near the testing grounds for the second phase of the Chuunin exam. Eerie little headstones dotted the landscape, soaked by the pouring rain. In the middle of the burial ground, a woman in her sixties was sitting in front of the monumental tombstone that marked the grave of the First Hokage. She had been there for almost a day, her lips slightly moving, as if she had been talking with her deceased grandfather. She realized that every life in Konoha depended on the decisions that she would make. With eyes already puffy, Tsunade began crying anew. She had already made a tremendous mistake, and another person was paying for it dearly.

>->->->->->->->->->->->

_"Gaaah!" A gray-haired man cried as an enormous fist slugged into his lower abdomen. A punch of that magnitude could easily have felled an ox, because of a bloodline limit used to broaden the fist and reinforce the knuckles. It would have been as painful as getting hit with a sledgehammer. He had been held captive there for only two weeks, but every single day there seemed like an eternity. Depleted of his strength and most of his chakra, he collapsed onto the cold granite floor of the cell, coughing out mouthfuls of blood._

_"Is this all you Leaf jounin are made of?" His tormentor mocked, digging his boot into the injured man's side. He coughed again, and struggled to crawl away, writhing in agony._

_"Teme, I thought you guys were the best…" His comrade added, "Especially you, Copy-ninja Kakashi. I didn't think you would fall into our hands so easily."_

_The two Mist ninjas continued ridiculing the Sharingan user and his abilities. The latter simply ignored the insults. There was enough pain in his limbs to keep him distracted anyway. With his back turned to them, Kakashi scowled, his heart racing. He knew what his tormentors had come for today. They wanted the secrets of Konoha- its strengths, weaknesses, and possible openings. It was no use telling them that he was a stranger to these things, for he had a reputation that preceded him as one of the Leaf's most feared shinobi. For every day that he refused to tell them, he would lose a part of his body. Kakashi grimaced, looking at his right hand._

_He had already lost a fifth of his fingers._

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"Aaah!" Sasuke screamed, waking up with a start. He jerked out of bed, landing upright on the floor in his regular fighting stance. Looking around him, he saw that he was in a hospital room, in loose, white cotton robes. Almost instantly, he felt a sharp pain coming from his left leg. Groaning, the Uchiha prodigy sat himself back down. It had all been a dream.

Two nurses, having heard the noise, came in and saw that he had finally awoken. They escorted him out, and helped dressed him in his usual clothes. Their orders were to take him to the Hokage as soon as possible.

>->->->->->->->->->->->

Tsunade stood in front of the waiting throng of people, unsure of what to say next. Butterflies were flitting around in her stomach; she could hardly believe what had happened herself. It had been a week of rather frightful developments, and she felt the heat of the congregation's stares. _Her_ neck was on the line here. After a brief word of prayer, she opened her eyes, raised her hands and spoke.

"My friends, as I have informed all of you earlier, the Mist is posing a very dangerous threat to Konoha. The peace that we are now enjoying, which many have worked so hard to achieve, is about to be destroyed." She paused, her eyes scanning the taut faces of the audience.

"Not all of you know, so it would be wise to inform everybody how all of this began." She cleared her throat. "Weeks ago, our spies obtained some information regarding the recent activities of the Mist. It appeared that the enemy was working on some form of kinjutsu with another hidden village. Possibly another alliance formed with the sole objective of defeating us. Our relationships have already soured, so we can almost be certain that whatever they may be up to will not be for the good of Konoha."

She paused again, stopping to pulling out a loosely bound scroll from her robes.

"Still, it would be foolish to jump to conclusions. About two weeks ago, however, we were able to take hold of evidence that fully confirmed our assumptions." She held the scroll up for everyone to see. "Our sentries caught a messenger from the Mist carrying this."

Some faces leaned in closer to get a better look at the document in her hands. Tsunade rolled it open, and passed it around to the audience. Eyes widened and mouths flew open as they read its contents.

True enough, the scroll outlined some plans for a kinjutsu that the Mist has been producing, in collaboration with the hidden Cloud. This much, they were already sure of, but the strength and effects of this jutsu still remained a mystery.

The Hokage spoke up once more. "Upon learning of this, I called together an urgent meeting of the Council, and we unanimously decided to send a reconnaissance team over to the enemy to investigate, knowing that the kinjutsu could have adverse effects if used against us in battle." She looked at the elderly members of the Council, who nodded in agreement. "We had hoped that by doing this, we would at least be prepared for what was coming and hopefully, we could find a way to counter the forbidden technique and maybe use it to our advantage."

The eldest member of the Council stood up and spoke. "We formed a team out of three individuals, who were among Konoha's best and brightest. All three had outstanding academic performance in their schooling years, and had each spearheaded numerous successful missions in the past." He stated. "However, it was not solely based on these reasons that we have made our decision. Each of them possesses a unique skill that is crucial to the purpose of this mission. A bloodline limit, if you will. We all know them as Hatake Kakashi, Hyuuga Neji, and Uchiha Sasuke."

"Their abilities have a big part to play here. We need the Sharingan to learn how the kinjutsu works, and the Byakugan to see how they use utilize the chakra and to find out how much goes into each attack."

"Their orders were to gather sufficient information, then leave. Under no circumstances were they to engage in any form of combat." Tsunade said. "However, something clearly went wrong."

The audience was dumbstruck. Gai and Kurenai exchanged anxious looks.

Tsunade spoke. "A few days earlier, that same team has returned to Konoha. They were bruised, battered, and beaten almost to death. The leader, Kakashi, was found missing and is believed to be held captive by the enemy. Let us find out what happened."

Sasuke entered the stage, walking on crutches. A nurse was assisting him, carefully holding his upper arm. Everybody in the room gasped upon seeing the pride of the Uchiha Clan disabled, limping helplessly. His raven hair was disheveled and the look in his obsidian eyes reflected the torment that he had gone through in that ordeal.

"It was a trap," He breathed, eyes glinting with fury, "Those dogs _knew _we were coming."

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>>>--THIS JUST IN!--> 

Well, that's it for chapter 6! I hope you liked it, and sorry if I let it hang a bit there… Yeah, I know… I hate cliffies too! . But hey, that's what makes everybody look forward to the next chapter, right? Please write me a review! Thanx:-)


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